The Federal Government has announced a range of measures designed to improve skills, improve access to training, and create more diversity to ensure nobody is left behind when it comes to participation in the Australian workforce.
Among the measures announced as part of the Federal Budget 2023:
- A $3.7 billion National Skills Agreement to ensure better access to Vocational Education and Training (VET), commencing 1 July 2024
- $436 million to reform and expand foundation programs for those over the age of 15 to improve literacy, numeracy language and digital skills
- 300,000 extra fee-free TAFE and VET training places
- A new support model to improve workforce diversity, retention and completion rates while engaging women in traditionally male-dominated apprenticeships.
- The introduction of targets under the Australian Skills Guarantee to ensure one in ten workers on major government-funded projects is an apprentice, trainee or paid cadet.
- A doubling of the number of women in apprentice and trainee roles on government construction projects, and tripling of trade apprenticeships for women by 2030.
These measures are designed to ensure that all Australians will have access to the skills and training they need to undertake a career and make a valuable contribution to our workforce.
MEGT fully supports these measures to improve the level of skills and qualifications in our workforce, which will benefit not just workers but the employers who engage and continue to train them.
Updates about these initiatives will be provided as more details come to hand.
